First Car Suggestions
 

Hey guys,

I'm looking for my first car and would like to spend under $10k..

I love e36 3-series and they definitely fall in my price range. However, if i find one that has supposedly been treated well with under 200k km's, how much will I be forced to spend in the near future to keep it running?

At what point will I need to get a new transmission, etc... how many km's can I get out of a car on average?

I know these are very broad questions and the answer is usually 'it depends'... but any help would be appreciated.

Is an e36 a good choice for me for ~$10k if i don't want to spend a lot on fixing it up? I want to take it off the lot, ready to drive, and for it to last with regular maintenance over the next few years..

e34 bro

I have found that you can not judge a car by mileage but by age.

Everything by a certain point, regardless of mileage, will need to be changed. MY 318 with over 300K km still runs strong and has not needed anything else besides regular maintenance items.

E34. Bulletproof. I'm on my second one. I'd say stick with the sixes. M30 is a beast. M20 is reliable, but slower than a turtle in molases. M50 is ok. I had a supercharged S52 in my first one, so tons of potential in these things.

You are right it depends.....

on whether you want to bring the car to RMP for Rocco to check it out.
so you wil not buy a lemon....

e36 328's are the best first cars i could've ever imagined.

Most of the people i know who's opinion on cars i respect had this as their first car, or very close to first car. (my 328 was my first car, and is still my fav)

how old are you OP?

high school? id say no way to that.

older, 328 would be perfect.

youve been here for 6 yrs and never owned a car?

One thing to remember: You NEVER keep your first car.

it never works out that way. whether is due to learning how to drive in society (the stuff they dont teach you in driving school) or accidents (again, due to experience level) or even just plain driving the thing to death.

save yourself the heartbreak, trouble, and money, and get a shetbox. and drive that thing till it dies. that way you learn all the ins and outs of car ownership and being a driver in society.
after that, go for something you can invest money into and aim to keep

^^umm. read what i just posted. I've had my 328 for 6 years.

i had my civic for 10 yrs....(had some other cars in there to) but it was my primary car that i got when i first got my license....

you guys really think you're going to keep these cars til you die?

i keep em till they die.....

now you are changing your stance a bit ;)

no not really, my point still stands. investing 10k into your first car doesnt seem like a smart move (no offense to those who have). the majority of car owners will not drive their first car for their whole driving "career". of course there will be exceptions, but op wanted a generalized opinion on what to get as a first car.

my suggestion, something cheap and disposable.

When looking for a used car, can i bring it by RMP (or any shop for that matter) to check out?

This is exactly what I'd ideally be looking for. If i could find one in great condition with all the goodies I'm looking for, I'd jump all over it.

Is Sincere's m3 too far of a stretch for me? (http://www.maxbimmer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136526)

I'm 23. I joined max 6 years when I was in high school because I was going to get an e36 at that point, but things didn't work out as I planned.

I've been living downtown Toronto since, so I've had no need for a car, but I need one now... and soon. I still want an e36 as much as I did then ;)

Sorry, I'll be more specific. I want a nice ride that will last me ~5+ years (for argument sake) with regular maintenance and care.

So I don't want a $3k shit box that I don't really like and will last me a few years before it needs major work to run... or I have to buy another shit box --- I think this would cost me more money and headaches in the long run anyways...

I also don't want a 10k car where I will need to put in an additional $5k here in 1 year and another $5k there in 3 years to keep it running strong.